THE seaside resort of Seaton Carew has earned a top quality award from environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Its main beach area has once again been granted a Seaside Award, only given to English beaches which meet the highest standards of cleanliness and facilities.

The accolade also covers:

* safe access to the beach

* beach cleanliness and provision of litter bins

* well-maintained and accessible toilets

* provision of information points and first aid facilities

* encouraging responsible dog ownership

A Harlepool Borough Council spokesman said that Seaton Carew’s beach is cleaned every day and is patrolled by lifeguards on weekends, bank holidays and school summer holidays during the spring and summer months.

Paul Todd, Keep Britain Tidy’s Coastal Award Manager, said: “As an environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy is committed to improving the quality of the places where people live, work and holiday and these winners have proved their commitment to providing the best possible beaches for locals and visitors alike. The public can be sure, if they visit a Seaside Award winning beach, that they are visiting one of the best beaches in the world.”

Councillor Marjorie James, the Chair of Hartlepool Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee, added: “We are delighted that Seaton Carew has once again earned this prestigious accolade. The award acknowledges the hard work done by the council’s Operations Section, lifeguard and cleansing teams throughout the year to keep the beach an attractive, safe and clean place for people to enjoy. It’s also an excellent vote of confidence and comes at a time when we are developing exciting proposals to regenerate the resort and further enhance its assets of sea, beach and promenade.”